Lukaku to stay at Chelsea despite loan offers

The striker has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs after a fine season out on loan but will remain at Stamford Bridge after speaking with Jose Mourinho

By Greg Stobart

Romelu Lukaku is set to stay at Chelsea next season despite interest in the striker from a number of Premier League clubs.

Goal understands that Jose Mourinho has told Lukaku that he wants the Belgian to be part of a squad that is capable of wrestling back domestic dominance from Manchester United and competing in the Champions League.

The Europa League holders regret allowing 27 players to leave on loan last season and saw the squad stretched to breaking point over the course of a campaign that totalled 69 games in all competitions.

Lukaku scored 17 league Premier League goals while on loan at West Brom during his breakthrough year and the 20-year-old is eager for regular first-team football, especially in a World Cup year.

Mourinho is in the market for a top class striker - Chelsea have been heavily linked with Napoli's Edinson Cavani - but has no intention of listening to offers for Lukaku this summer.

“He is Jose’s type of player and he wants to take a look at him,” a source told Goal. “He can offer something different and has a similar style to Didier Drogba who Jose loves.”